. REJOIN THE ABMY. '. 85

this village, also, were without all shade. Here, again,'two guides had to be seized on by force, and our presence alone prevented our

spoil-loving body-guard from plundering it. We then reached the

great village Wady, which was picturesquely situated under shady

trees, along the river's bank. From hence our road lay over a wide plain, without tree or bush to afford us shelter ; at midnight we halted and dismounted.

CHAP. III.

Bejoin the Army. — Arab Sheiks. — Ruins of Herrercm The Mirage.—A Country March.— Corn Stores.— A Sheik of the Hallenga.— False Alarms. —A Skirmish.

2otk March.— Before sunrise we were off again. Coffee we could

not prepare, for want of wood ; one of the Schaigies milked his

female camel, and gave us some of its milk, which tasted fresh and

excellent. "We now again struck the way the army had taken. Numerous wild Kurbisse (Colocynthi) covered the ground in many

places. The braying of an ass was plainly heard in this sound-

less waste ; on we went, and came to a female ass with broken leg, — seemingly the field-piece had gone over it; a newly-dropped

foal stood by the mother, over whom already circled in air the

vultures ; from these she seemed to call on us to protect her. The young beast was placed in a net, slung on a camel, and the old

one, at our express order, shot, to save her from a lingering death. By noon we were in the camp on the Atbara.

The Pascha, seated on the ground, in the shade before his tent, had remarked us when at some distance, though we could have

dispensed with seeing him ere we had first taken some rest. He was, from exposure to the sun during these last few days, much

burnt, seemed ill, and suffering ; he nevertheless received us with

commiserating kindness, and said he had already received a mes-

sage telling him of our welfare. Tired as we were, we must mount

again at two hours after noon. Many gazelles were started; the

Pascha, gun in hand, galloped his Arabian stallion into the midst D 2